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In the grueling Fatal 4-Way Iron Man Match between Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Adam Cole, and Finn Balor on WWE NXT Super Tuesday last week, a new NXT Champion was not crowned. A tie between Cole and Balor led to another match being held between the two men on this week’s WWE NXT Super Tuesday. And the match between the two longest-reigning NXT Champions was worth the wait.
The two men put on a great show, but it was The Prince of NXT who was able to shoot down Cole and become a 2-time NXT Champion.
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Now that Balor is the new NXT Champion, we will see several top competitors emerge who will want a shot at the NXT Championship.
With that in mind, we will look at the five NXT Superstars who could target Balor for the NXT Championship, until Karrion Kross returns for the title he never lost.
#5 KUSHIDA could aim for the NXT Championship
KUSHIDA has been trying to find his footing in WWE NXT for some time now, but it seems like he has a lot more to do to get on track. After targeting NXT United Kingdom Champion WALTER, he impressed the WWE Universe with his in-ring prowess, but failed to carry the momentum.
We’ve seen KUSHIDA become a part of several tournaments to crown new Champions or #1 contenders, but he has failed to reach the finals on each occasion. However, with a smaller Superstar holding the NXT Championship, this could be KUSHIDA’s chance as he generally works better with men his own size.
KUSHIDA is currently in a rivalry with the returning Velveteen Dream, and if he manages to defeat The Dream in this rivalry, then we may see him progress to the top of the NXT roster and challenge The Prince for the NXT Championship.
While the Japanese Superstar has a long way to go, he could turn out to be a great initial opponent for Balor who will need some warm-up competition to kickstart his new reign. Balor vs KUSHIDA could be the fresh rivalry WWE NXT has been looking for.
#4 The Velveteen Dream's return to NXT can spice things up
While KUSHIDA is the babyface in his rivalry with The Velveteen Dream, the latter is a bitter heel who has returned to WWE NXT after some time off from the ring. The Dream’s returning was surprising, and his heel turn was even more shocking as it showed the WWE Universe a new side of The Purple Highness.
While Dream is a heel just like Finn Balor, Balor has taken on more heels since his return to WWE NXT than babyfaces. This has allowed him to progress even more and show the NXT Universe a completely new side of himself, one that has allowed him to gain even more fans.
Having him compete with the newly turned Dream will help give The Prince a good run early in his title defenses.
The Prince hasn’t shied away from any challenge since his return to WWE NXT, and since he has already defeated The Dream a couple of times since his move to NXT, it could allow him to earn more bragging rights.
#3 Bronson Reed's rise to the top of NXT
Bronson Reed has become one of the top babyfaces of WWE NXT. At one point, he was nothing more than a mid-carder who could pull off some extraordinary moves, but now he is among the top NXT Superstars on the roster.
In recent months, we’ve seen AusZilla compete against stars such as Karrion Kross, and even defeat men like Austin Theory, Johnny Gargano, and Roderick Strong. WWE seem to have a lot of faith in Reed, and he could end up getting a few big chances in the months to come.
WWE NXT could book another David vs Goliath rivalry for the top Championship, which could help both Superstars grow. While Reed can be the Goliath in this fight, Balor will be the perfect David, who has far more experience and accomplishments.
Their rivalry will allow Reed to get a taste of top competition, and give Balor a chance to take out one of the biggest men on the Black & Gold brand to make a statement early on in his reign.
Thicc Boi has all the qualities to make a great mid-card Champion now, and a future NXT Champion, and this rivalry could groom him for a mid-card title reign.
#2 Dexter Lumis could aim for the gold on his NXT return
Dexter Lumis was one of the front runners for the NXT North American Championship after Keith Lee relinquished his title a few weeks ago. While Lumis seemed red hot early in the tournament, he was forced to leave the tournament after sustaining an ankle injury.
The injury may have cost him a chance to win his first title in WWE but could have given him a lifeline to return to the top title picture instead.
Before sustaining the injury, Lumis was progressing as a top babyface for the brand and a fan-favorite who had the skills and physique to rise to the top.
WWE hasn’t given too many updates regarding Lumis’ injury and return date which could mean that they may surprise the fans with his return.
A returning Lumis could immediately begin a rivalry with The Prince of NXT to target his first major title in the company. This could end up being a great rivalry, as it could be one of the only few combinations that could actually make Balor seem like the underdog.
#1 Tommaso Ciampa to take down The Prince of NXT?
Tommaso Ciampa may have been slightly frustrated that the creative team did not have much in store for him, but following his return last month, he was immediately thrust into the NXT Championship Iron Man Match along with three other top Superstars.
While Ciampa failed to win the title in the Iron Man Match, he’s tasted blood and will want to come for more sooner rather than later. Ciampa is the only active competitor who never lost his NXT Championship and instead had to relinquish it due to injury.
The Blackheart could target The Prince of NXT once again, helping the new Champion turn face in the process. Ciampa is one of the few men on the roster who can help Finn Balor turn face, as several top heels are waiting for a shot at the title after a long and healthy reign by Adam Cole.
Ciampa vs. Balor could be a long rivalry that can help elevate the NXT Championship and give fans a chance to see one of the top Championship rivalries in WWE history.
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